Spinal cord injury treatments are continuously changing, developing, and getting better.  New ones are created every day to help those with paralysis or damaged spinal columns.  If you are one of these people, how do you tell the difference between a legitimate form of treatment and one that takes advantage of your physical condition?

That’s the question our firm’s paralysis lawyers in San Diego are asking after hearing about an unconventional form of spinal cord injury treatment up in Carlsbad, California.  For over a decade, one man has been dedicating his life’s work to an out-patient rehab facility designed for those suffering from spinal cord injuries.

Project Walk offers spinal cord injury patients hope of walking again, but will it really cure their paralysis?

In 1999, one man founded Project Walk in Carlsbad as a place where those who were paraplegic could come for therapy and learn to once again take steps on their own.  Some say it is a miracle, while others remain skeptical as to its results.

The man has a legion of satisfied customers, even though he is not a doctor.  He’s simply a physical trainer who had a simple idea that may be paying off.

The philosophy of Project Walk is that if you can wiggle your toes, then there is a chance that you can recover from your spinal cord injuries.  Through the practice of repetitive motion, the body should be able to remember how to walk again.  As for the patients, many are seeing positive results and being able to use their legs again.

So far, the only limitations in the treatment are that you must have some feeling below the point of impact.  Currently, a 29-year-old volleyball player, is undergoing treatment at Project Walk after a car accident took away the use of her legs.  Hall can now move her arms and stand on her own after only six months of training at his facility.

A number of doctors, including the director of spine services at Alvarado Hospital, have been impressed by the results and have started to refer their patients out to Project Walk.  The skeptics, however, have expressed their concerns about paralyzed patients being taken advantage of and spending thousands of dollars on false hope.

“This looks like a show to me where someone’s holding someone up and everyone is standing back and saying, look she’s standing,” a UC San Diego Medical Center spine surgeon said.

Our firm’s paralysis lawyers feel that you can’t be too careful today and we encourage you to research facilities like Project Walk on your own before undergoing one form of treatment over another.  Ask yourself these questions:

  • Are they in accordance with California state law?
  • How will their form of treatment help you and why would you do it?
  • What is your doctor or orthopedic surgeon’s opinion about this type of health care?
  • Who is endorsing this kind of treatment and why?

People want to be optimistic about their chances of recovering from a spinal cord injury and there are places out there that take advantage of that hope.  You want to do your own due diligence in order to determine if an alternative form of medicine and treatment is your best course for healing.

If you or someone you know has a spinal cord injury or was paralyzed during an accident, contact our bilingual San Diego law firm at 1-858-551-2090 for a FREE consultation with an experienced paralysis lawyer.  You may also click here and submit your case for a FREE online review.  We work on a contingency fee basis, which means you owe nothing until we recover a fair settlement on your behalf.